EO Smart Connecting Car 2 Can Drive Sideways And Shrink

Urban life comes with unique demands, and appropriate transportation is a big one. There's increasingly less space on the road and finding parking on a Friday night can be near impossible in some cities. Smaller cars are the solution for many, being able to squeeze into smaller spaces and allowing for more cars to be in any given area at a time. Presently the Smart Car and similar vehicles are the only option, but some companies have envisioned better things — cars able to morph when need, able to maneuver in ways that present vehicles can't. The EO Smart Connecting Car 2 is one such vehicle.

The EO Smart Connecting Car 2 is the brainchild of DFKI Robotics Innovation Center, and it is designated as a "micro car". The micro car has been in different stages of development for the last three or so years, and it first made its public debut back in 2012 (though that was an earlier iteration of the car).

The car drives like a regular vehicle, but has the sideways-driving capabilities of NASA's recently detailed vehicle, with each wheel having its own motor. With this functionality, the car can be more easily parked in tight spots in urban environments, such as a tiny space on the side of the road.

The car in its current iteration is able to go to speeds up to 40mph with a range of up to 44 miles on a charge. There are two seats, and if needed the car can shrink itself up to 1.5 meters. The latter functionality comes by way of partially folding, with the rear axle sliding toward the front while the interior moves upward. The team plans to introduced a street legal version in the future.

SOURCE: CNN